O.K. I feel Southern now!

Why do I feel so southern all of a sudden.  Because this week our new vegetable of the week was ....OKRA!  I can't even describe the trepidation I felt trying this vegetable.  If you see one they look like amped up bean pods.  You know not string beans but a bean that has been hittin' the weight room and crossed that muscle bound bean with a jalapeno.  It has the exact same stem.  But when you slice the vegetable, cut off the ends and then slice like a banana chip you get the cutest wagon wheel slices.  To warn you though if you cut off the ends and look through the wheel shape - it almost looks like a mini corn is hiding inside the okra (I told you it is a vegetable that likes to bulk up - maybe because it does eat other veggies :)  And when I say mini corn - please picture Tom Hanks nibbling on one at the fancy dinner in the movie Big!  I say picture this scene because I did and it still makes me laugh 20+ years. 

Before trying okra I knew three things.  The South loves to fry okra.  That it has a slimy quality.  And if you want to make a good gumbo you really need this vegetable.  This is what I know.  This vegetable makes me feel Yankee (I did live in Minnesota for almost twenty years of my life!)  I worked in a grocery store for seven years and I do not recall ever once a customer buying okra, seeing okra, nor anyone mentioning if we carried okra.  And now around these parts it is a staple vegetable.  OR at least seems that way - because now I see it and even know that it exists.

We ended up with okra because I sent my fabulous hubby to the store and he brought me home okra.  That is a bit intimidating as this guy is from Louisiana and if you read the paragraph above gumbo was one of the three things I knew about okra.  I double-checked that he didn't intend for me to make gumbo - that's one of those dishes that usually comes from a secret family recipe passed down from generation to generation - no written recipe but one you learn hands - on.  You remember my family is from the Midwest/North - I did not learn how to make gumbo.  I'm not saying I won't ever attempt it but I feel that is years into the future.  So if we agreed gumbo wasn't the way to go and the whole purpose to try new veggies and fruits is an attempt to eat healthier I didn't really want to fry the okra; which between gumbo and deep frying it breaded wiped out at least eighty percent of the recipes we had to do some digging.  Tip for okra recipe research - look for southern cookbooks.  Don't look in vegetarian manuals, nor your commercial commodities - but a good ol' southern church cookbook is where we found several recipes.  We even stumbled among one not deep fried or gumbo - smothered okra (I know you hear smothered and add the Southern adjective you are probably thinking gravy - but you would be wrong.....and disappointed like me :)  Smothered in this recipe meant onions and tomatoes: which is an excellent combination.

So if two of my three bits of knowledge about okra are immediately discluded from my recipe (deep fried and gumbo)  all I am left to deal with is - the slime factor.  Who wants to eat a vegetable that is suppose to be slimy?  I see slime on any of my produce it is time for that produce and I to part ways as I throw it away.  Not okra!  When I was growing up my mom did not have many house plants but she always seemed to have an aloe plant.  You take the sticky slimy sap from the plant and place it on burns.  I used the aloe plant quite a bit - I was a clutzy kid.  And I have to tell you as my hubby and I started to slice our okra - flashbacks to the aloe plant kept popping in my head: especially, when I would have to scrape the vegetable and seeds off my knife as they would stick to the slime.  Yuck!!! 

But together my hubby and I were able to slice up our okra and ready to be smothered.  We did use a little oil to "stir-fry".  I think the heat helps to eliminate the slime factor; which is why you see okra fried or that it has time to cook down for a long time in a stew such as gumbo.  The smothered approach was great as you cook okra with these big flavors - onions, garlic, and tomatoes.  It isn't easy to describe okra.  It had a good flavor - something like asparagus (which I really enjoy - especially for a "green" vegetable).  It's not as earthy as you might imagine (especially if you compare okra to a bean or pea pod).

It was hard to get past the sliminess; but once cooked properly you completely forget that it did release quite a bit of sap. Okra is a tasty vegetable.  It is packed with fabulous fiber and with lots of other nutritional boosts. I am now a true believer with Southern pride that will once again purchase this vegetable.

May your HealthFULL Journey not only test your boundaries but help you to face your fears and in turn make you stronger every single day. 'Til we meet again . . . 

Do you feel robbed/Rabe'd of nutrients?

I tried tying a pun into the title but if you don't know broccoli rabe you probably don't know the pronunciation for "rabe" sounds like rob.  Anyway, guess what?  The Sullivan household tried our new veggie for the week and drumroll please it was broccoli rabe or a.k.a. rapini.  We have actually bought this vegetable before and let it spoil.  No chance this time.  We picked it up from the grocery store and cooked it tonight without a recipe in our hands.  Quite daring, for me at least. 

When picking out the new produce for the week I knew we were eating an egg casserole crockpot meal.  I wanted a side for dinner but didn't want anything heavy or too many carbs as there is bread in the casserole.  In my thoughts I was trying to think breakfast like items.  Fruit was a possibility but I kind of wanted a vegetable.  As I was cruising through the produce section I was looking for what jumped out.  There it was Brocolli Rabe next to the fresh greens and leeks and peppers.  We have had this on our list to try as we have seen several cooking shows use it in their recipes. 

A green seemed like a perfect side.  Now how to prepare it.  I have heard that it isn't a bad idea to blanche greens to rid them of their initial overwhelming bitterness.  Plus the instructions said to rinse well.  I stuck our broccoli rabe in a big bowl with cold water for about twenty minutes and then used a colander to rinse and let it dry a bit before cooking.  Next how to prepare a vegetable I have never had the pleasure of tasting.  Both my hubby and I agreed the stems looked a bit woody for consumption.  Think ends of asparagus.  So we chopped off the thick stems.  I then chopped through the leaves, mini stems, and what looks like little brocolli clumps or florets would probably be a better choice of description.  As I was chopping I shouted out to my husband that they reminded me of weeds.  His response in a sarcastic voice "Sounds delicious.  I can't wait!"  Don't let the sarcastic tone fool you though - he loves when I take charge in the kitchen.  The man eats tofu if it will get me behind the stove :) 

So where are we?  That's right I have chopped up weeds on my cutting board.  I said weeds because the leaves remind me of those thistle weeds that pop up in yards.  They have those jagged edges that sometimes look like spikes.  I decided the easiest way to prepare the green vegetable would be to wilt/saute.  I first paired the green vegetable with a few of our house favorites.  Thinking the green would be a tad bitter especially as brocolli rabe (or rapini) in its raw state has a dark green tone.  I did nibble a bit of the vegetable in its raw state.  It was pretty mild.  I thought the floret portion would remind of brocolli and it was too mild to have that brocolli flavor.  Quite earthy, a tad bitter, but really felt the flavor was closer to a mild lettuce.  This may be from the little bit of  the "soaking" we did.  I wanted a sweeter vegetable to combine it with our green.  I don't know about you but in egg dishes we like caramelized onions and cooked mushrooms.  So I started sauteing diced onions and sliced mushrooms.  If you want to branch out and try new produce;  never be afraid to combine them with flavors you already know you enjoy.  I then deglazed the pan (or added liquid to pull away the cooked bits) with a thimble full of white wine.  Another way to add a dash of flavor and sweetness.   Dumped in the chopped up rapini and let it wilt down. After wilting the leaves, the brocolli rabe takes on this gorgeous bright green hue.  I did include a picture of the final outcome at the top.   I think the whole dish took less than twelve minutes ( minus the soaking and draining time) to prepare.  At the end I added a little bit of salt and cayenne.  At first bite I wanted to add some sweetness.  I actually considered a drop of maple syrup as it was a breakfast side.  But waited to let the vegetables cool a tish.  And I was really glad I didn't add that sweet flavor.  The greens worked really well with the "heaviness" of the egg dish.   

After cooking my version I looked up the vegetable on the web for some nutrition tidbits and noticed that a lot of recipes encourage the saute method.  Its pretty easy and quite tasty; just mix in a couple other produce items to add some texture and a spice or two to highlight the flavors and you've got own version of this brocolli rabe dish. 

Here is a quick nutrition plug of why broccoli rabe is good for you (low in calories with some great vitamins).  I found the following nutrition information at : http://sarah-zahn.suite101.com/what-is-broccoli-rabe-a165036 which also gives some more tips on how to eat this kitchen friendly veggie.

Nutrients Found in Broccoli Raab

Broccoli Rabe is highly nutritious and contains many of the same cancer-fighting elements as its cruciferous relatives. It is high in phytochemicals such as sulforaphane and indoles, which are believed to help the body naturally defend itself against certain cancers.
It has a mere 20 calories per one cup raw, 3 grams of protein and 72 mg of vitamin C and 7.6 mg of beta-carotene. It is also a good source of vitamins A and K as well as potassium.

I have to admit I am quite proud of myself. I actually conceptualized a dish without too much background information.  I did make a mess in the kitchen because I am still working out my chefly kinks.  It reminded me that once upon a time I was pretty good at thinking on my feet and ready to take whatever came my way.  Its been awhile since I have had the confidence to stay standing.  It has been a lot easier to hide my head in the sand, bow my head, or turn my back.  This felt like me taking a little bit of a stand and saying to the world "Let's go!" 

May your healthfull journey find surprising ways to pat you on the back and allow you freedom to roam.  Who knows you may stumble upon a new path or find a familiar one from long ago. 'Til we meet again. . .

Bringing more Green into the World

Think Green.  We use that color to explain so many things - clean environment, safe products, money, the color, someone is looking sick, jealousy.  We like this color, we use this color, we discuss this color.  But do you eat this color?  Oh I know you just blushed.  Because we love green green but many of us as kids decided that healthy green vegetables have no place in our world or our tummies.  But as an adult we are told these foods are "good for us" because they are so "healthy".  And our reactions range usually from "Blech!"  or if I must *take a bite with eyes closed super tight and nose plugged with other hand while other hand holds the fork ready to jam the green health food into our mouths.  I should preface most adults are like this who haven't really given "greens" a chance. 

Actually, they are quite tasty.  Are you thinking I am a pod person?  No I am one of you I promise.  Green vegetables to me used to mean no flavor or rabbit food.  But as I allow myself to use them more often I am becoming more familiar with their tastes and textures and what works for a meal (at least in our household) and what most likely won't be crossing the threshold of our home.  If you haven't guessed yet we ate Turnip Greens for the veggie of the week.  Quite tasty and now having sampled a variety I can share a little bit of their differences. 

We'll call them the Big Five Greens. (If for no other reason because our household has sampled all five and they are fairly common at popular supermarkets so you can too sample all five and pick your favorite :)

If you shop at Whole Foods they label produce with ANDI scores.  According to http://www.belsandia.com/andi-score-andi-nutrition-rating-system.html ANDI stands for Aggregate Nutrient Density Index developed by Dr. Joel Fuhrman which
basically identifies the most nutritional bite you can chew meaning high nutrients for less calories - this works high in the favor of greens but works against healthy fats (nuts, olive oil).  So though I find the information interesting and worth learning it - by no means should it dictate your diet completely.  Eat with knowledge is what I advise (and I am just a person with little nutrition background - more of a recent hobby and by no means have a doctor license.)

So our big five green choices: Kale, Mustard, Turnip, Collard, and Beet greens is what I plan to compare.  First off the first four listed: Kale, Mustard, Turnip, and Collard Greens have an ANDI score of 1000.  Which is the highest score listed on the ANDI.  Beet greens come in at a much lower number.  I think in the 300s but I had trouble finding the actual number online. 

My favorite green is the Turnip Green which we just tasted last night.  We cooked it typical southern fashion where you boil it down with spices and some tasty fat.  Not the healthiest preparation but I think is a great way to introduce yourself to the vegetable.  They have a bit firmer texture than collards but definitely not as strong as kale.  So the turnip greens hold up really well for a soup or the boil down method.  And then you can use the stock to create flavorful rice or soup.  The turnip greens have a great spiciness to the ending of their bite that allows it to incorporate with a smoky, salty, or sweet flavor.  We ate the greens with some cod and a little bit of rice and a cool cucumber salad.  Odd mixture but we were trying to finish up some odds and ends.  The greens mixed well with the whole meal. 

Second up for my favorite are beet greens.  They have such a delicateness to their leaves and sweetness as they carry some of the beet flavor into their red veins.  We wilt these down in a saute pan with a small amount of liquid (a flavored vinegar usually and some water just to wet the pan and allow the green's water to do the rest of the wilting) with a bit of salt and pinch of sugar (to really highlight the greens' natural sweetness) a bit of pepper or other "spice" and you have a delicious, nutritious, and super easy side.  I think this green is a great way to incorporate greens into a kid's diet (or the apprehensive adult).  The liquid clinging to the greens is usually tinged red which adds some color, beauty, and for the crowd who appreciates it a bright purply tinged blood :)

Third I will go for the much talked about superfood - Kale.  Kale is a strong leaf both texture wise and flavor.  Its dark color is from all the nutrients that call this vegetable home.  Kale is strong enough to handle some baking and many people I know brag about Kale chips.  I have it down as a recipe to definitely try ( I do warn you the smell in the oven is a bit strong - think burning leaves - but the taste is fantastic :)  We have had kale several ways.  Raw in some salads - such as a quinoa salad with some fruit to sweeten the salad.  We have also half wilted, half sauteed the leaves.  I prefer cooked kale vs. raw kale.  I feel it holds a bitter taste which I am not a huge superfan.  But have learned it can work when balanced against other flavor profiles. 

Collard greens are a staple around these parts of the country ( I am based in South Carolina).  I can honestly say I do not recall ever seeing Collard Greens let alone ringing them up (I worked in a grocery store for 7+ years in northern Minnesota) until we moved here.  And my husband remembers eating them for most New Years' Days.  For the last couple of years we have tried to uphold the Southern tradition of eating black-eyed peas and our collard greens to bring us both luck and prosperity into our upcoming year.  I find the collards a bit more fragile than the hearty greens and a bit more mild. Kale has bitterness, turnips have spiciness, and beets have sweetness and collards just are collards in my opinion.  We have only had collard greens in the boil 'em down fashion.  Maybe worth trying a new method for these.

And my least favorite green are the Mustard Greens.  I truly believe this has to do with our preparing them like collard greens and drowning what I imagine to be a sour spicy flavor.  I enjoy true mustard taste as was quite disappointed that I didn't love these greens thinking these would be my most favorite.  Maybe I went into the tasting with too much expectation.  They also are pretty hardy for leaf strength - not quite like weight lifter kale but runner - up definitely.  I haven't given up on these leaves yet.  They deserve a second chance but with a recipe more their style.

Hope this gave you a new understanding and appreciation for the world of greens.  Don't be afraid of them (you are even stronger than kale.  Imagine how strong you would be if you ate kale  :)

May your HealthFULL Journey be filled with culinary adventures, active happiness, and inspiring motivation. 'Til we meet again. . .